Apparatus for handling loads



Nov. 21, 1950 J. H. KEMP, JR

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOADS Original Filed Dec. 10. 1946 INVENTOR.doH/v H. K'i'jp JQ- BY Mg a ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 21, 1950 U N ITEDSTAT ES T O F F! C E 2,530,704 APPARATUS FOR HANDLiNG-LoAii's John-H.Kemp, Jr., San Ga'rlos, "Calif. Original application December 10, 1946;Serial No.

1155175. Divided and this'application September 7, 1948,"Serial-No.47,991

v This is a division of my parent application, SerialNo. 715, 75, filedDecember, 10, 1'946,'now Patent No. 2,45 ,226, granted October 1 2,'1948.

In the parent application I have described load-handling apparatus fortransferring a load 'of parcel goods from a'lifting fork directly onto adeck or pallet, or fOr transferring such loads from "one "deck {toanother, without havingto in- "dividuallyhandle the parcels of the load,which apparatus includes "means for guiding the loadcarryingtines ofthefork into engagement with grooves i'nthe'l'oad receiving deck. In thepresent divisional application the claims are directed to a modifiedguide means for such apparatus.

The broad object'of my invention'istofacilitate the handling of loadsof'pa'rcel goods, and more particularly to improvements in such handlingby meansof a fork truckfo'r conveying loads'of say 'atonor-mor'eabout'a'local areayas on a dock or within a warehouse.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will beset forth in the followingdescriptionof myinvention. It is to be understood that I do not limitmyself to this disclosure of species of my invention as I may adoptvariant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure '-1 is a diagrammatic sectional vie 'of apparatusembodying myinvention showing tines of a fork engaged'between ribs of aload-carrying deck or pallet; and

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the fork supporting the load abovethe deck.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the fork of a truck supportingthe load above the deck; and

Figure 4 is a plan view showing portions of the fork and deck andillustrating the position of these parts prior to insertion of the forktines into the grooves of the deck.

In terms of broad inclusion my apparatus for handling a load comprises adeck having spaced ribs for supporting the load and providing parallelgrooves between the ribs; and a lifting fork having load-carrying tinesdimensioned and spaced for reception in the grooves, whereby the i 'Ingreater detail, and referring to the drawings, my apparatus comprises aload-carrying deck having'a serie's'ofspaced ribs 3 providing parallelgrooves 5 therebetween, which ribs support the load of parcels 4. Theseparcels may be boxes, cartons, bags or other conventional containers forthe goods being handled. It is desirable to handle parcels of this kindin a group weighing a ton or more, and such loads are contemplated in.my apparatus. Ribs 3 may be of any suitable material such as metal orwood, spaced say three inches apart, and may either be fastened to afixed platform or formed as part of a portable platform or pallet. Ifthe latter, the pallet is .preferablyof conventional pallet size, say 3"X 5. A corrugated type of pallet such as disclosed in parent applicationis preferred.

My apparatus also comprises a lifting fork 6 having parallelload-carrying tines l dimensioned and spaced for reception in thegrooves 5 between ribs 3. These tines ar'e preferably flatmetal bars andare adapted to support the load independently of the deck or pallet.'Iines about 2%; inches wide and'spac'ed to mesh with the ribs 3 aresatisfactory; Figure 1 shows the load sup- .portedon'ribs 3 and-Figure 2shows the load sup- 'portedpn the fork above the deck. As shown inFigures 3 and 4, the tines of fork t are joined at the base ends andproject outwardly with their upper surfaces lying substantially in acommon plane. The plurality of closely spaced tines thus provide amplesupporting surface for the parcels making up the load. This featuretogether with th interengagability of the tines with ribs 3 makes itpossible to insert the tines endwise and lift a load from the deck. And,What is equally important, makes it possible to lower a loaded fork ontothe deck and withdraw the tines endwise to leave the load resting onribs 3. When using a portable pallet it is also understood that bothpallet and load may be simultaneously lifted by engaging the fork underthe pallet in the conventional manner.

With reference to Figure 3, fork 6 is preferably supported on avehicular mount or truck l0 indicated by dotted lines, which truck ispreferably of a type which is self-powered and steerable by an operator.In the structure illustrated the fork is provided with upstanding arms 8fastened to a crossbar H on the front of the truck. Suitable elevatormeans is also provided on the truck for raising and lowering the forkwhile maintaining the t'nes substantially horizontal. A chain l2 drivenby sprockets I3 is shown connected to crossbar H, but any other type ofelevator mechanism may be employed An important feature of my inventionis that indicator means are provided for establishing alignment of theload-carrying tines I with the grooves 5 between ribs 3. Since the forkis used either to deposit a load onto the deck or to remove a load fromthe deck, it will be seen that the operator on the truck ID has theproblem of registering the fork tines with the deck grooves 5 under bothof those conditions. In the case where the load is being deposited onthe deck, the problem arises because the load 4 hides the underlyingparts and makes it impossible for the operator to see either the loadcarrying tines 1 or the grooves 5 when a loaded fork is being loweredonto the deck. The aligning means in my present construction preferablycomprises coacting indicators on both the deck and fork, including anindicator tine 2| along one side of the fork and so spaced from anadjacent load carrying tine l as to be in the view of the operator whenthe tines 'l are hidden by the load. The deck has an indicator groove 20likewise spaced laterally from an adjacent groove 5 for receiving thetine 2|. By this arrangement the operator can lower the loaded fork downonto the deck and by engaging visible indicator tine 2| with its groove20, is able to establish registration of the invisible load carryingtines 1 with their respective grooves. Once the weight of the load hasbeen transferred to the ribs 3 the fork may be withdrawn by merelybacking up the truck.

In order to facilitate the operation in the case Where the load-carryingtines are inserted endwise in the grooves to remove a load from thedeck, the indicator tine 2| is preferably made longer than theload-carrying tines 1 so that the projecting end of tine 2| is adaptedfor insertion into its groove 2t prior to insertion of the other tines.Prior insertion of indicator tine 2| thus automatically aligns the othertines 1 with their respective grooves. To further facilitate insertionof indicator time 2! the cooperating groove 20 preferably has anoutwardly flared opening provided by the tapered ends 22 of the ribswhich form the indicator groove. This flared opening functions as aguide to direct the tine 2| into engagement with the groove 20. Afterthe loadcarrying tines have been fully inserted the load is lifted fromthe deck by elevating the fork.

I claim:

1. In load-handling apparatus, the combination with a deck havingparallel grooves, of a lifting fork having load-carrying tinesdimensioned and spaced for reception in said grooves, whereby the loadmay be deposited on or lifted from the deck when said tines are locatedin said grooves, a vehicular mount for the fork, operating mechanism foreffecting vertical movement of the fork, and indicator means on the forkand deck independent of said tines and grooves for aligning theload-carrying tines with their respective grooves, said means includinga tine on the fork located alongside the load-carrying tines andprojecting beyond the ends thereof.

2. In load-handling apparatus, the combination with a deck havingparallel grooves, of a lifting fork having load-carrying tinesdimensioned and spaced for reception in said grooves, whereby the loadmay be deposited on or lifted from the deck when said tines are locatedin said grooves, a vehicular mount for the fork, operating mechanism foreffecting vertical movement of the fork, and indicator means on the forkand deck independent of said tines and grooves for aligning theloadwarrying tines with their respective grooves, said means including agroove in the deck spaced laterally from one of said grooves and acooperating tine equally spaced for one of the load-carrying tines.

3. In load-handling apparatus, the combination with a deck havingparallel grooves, of a lifting fork having tines dimensioned and spacedfor reception in the grooves, whereby the load may be deposited on orlifted from the deck when the tines are located inthe grooves, avehicular mount for the fork, and operating mechanism for effectingvertical movement of the fork, one of the grooves having a, flaredopening at an end thereof for guiding a tine therein.

JOHN H. KEMP, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,001,253 Kittleson May 14, 19352,412,184 Ulinski Dec. 3, 1946 2,468,326 Gleason Apr. 26,- 1.949

